as a rough calculation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a rough calculation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when providing an estimate or approximation rather than an exact figure. Example: "As a rough calculation, we can estimate that the project will take about six months to complete."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

While Groupon doesn't break out what that means in terms of actual revenues, as a rough calculation North America saw overall revenues of $375 million last quarter, which would work out to $150 million of revenues on mobile for the period.

TechCrunch

As a rough calculation, 200 Barrer would be equivalent to ∼1300 GPU for membranes with a selective layer of 150 nm.

Chemical Society Reviews

Therefore, as a rough calculation, we would expect to have defined somewhat less than 1/16th of the total number of IES positions with the high-confidence win1 predictions.

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

A more realistic headline like "Soda Is Unhealthy, as You Know, so We Made a Rough Calculation of How Many People Die from It but There's No Way to Check Numbers Like This" isn't nearly as sexy.

Vice

For this one, a rough calculation is measured as the difference between two consecutive accesses registered in the web logs.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

As the tournament passed its expected 6 p.m. conclusion, CBS made a rough calculation that the third sudden-death playoff hole would not end until at least 7 02, with no guarantee that it would be the last.

The New York Times - Sports

According to a rough calculation by Hirsch Handmaker, a radiologist working with Sojourner and CEO of a nonprofit raising awareness of concussions, as many as 20 million women each year could have TBI caused by domestic violence.

Huffington Post

I made a rough calculation.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This is a bit of a rough calculation.

The Economist

"We can do a rough calculation of the likely costs," Mr. Spratt said in an interview.

The New York Times

At a rough calculation the total payout would be several millions at least.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "as a rough calculation", ensure it's clear to your audience that the figure provided is not exact and should be treated as an approximation.

Common error

Avoid presenting a figure derived "as a rough calculation" as if it were precise or definitive. Always emphasize the approximate nature of the result.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a rough calculation" functions as an introductory phrase, signaling that the subsequent information is an approximation. It prepares the audience to understand that the figure is not exact but rather a general estimate, which Ludwig AI confirms to be correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "as a rough calculation" is a grammatically sound and useful way to introduce an approximate estimate, as verified by Ludwig AI. It signals to the audience that the figure should be understood as a general approximation rather than a precise measurement. Usage is prevalent across various contexts, including science, news, and business, though less common in strictly academic or encyclopedic content. When employing this phrase, emphasize the approximate nature of the information to avoid any misinterpretation of accuracy. Alternatives like "as an approximation" or "as a general estimate" can offer similar nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as an approximation

Focuses on the nature of the estimate being approximate.

as a general estimate

Highlights the broad, non-specific nature of the estimation.

as a quick estimate

Emphasizes the speed and simplicity of the calculation.

as a ballpark figure

An idiomatic way of suggesting an approximate value.

by way of estimation

More formal; emphasizes the process of estimating.

in round numbers

Implies simplification by using rounded values.

just to get an idea

Highlights the goal of forming a general understanding.

for the sake of estimation

Similar to "by way of estimation" but emphasizes the purpose.

to give a sense of scale

Focuses on providing an understanding of magnitude.

very roughly

Simplifies the idea to its most basic form of approximation.

FAQs

How can I use "as a rough calculation" in a sentence?

You can use "as a rough calculation" to introduce an approximate estimate, for example, "As a rough calculation, the project will take about six months."

What does "as a rough calculation" mean?

The phrase "as a rough calculation" indicates that the following figure is an estimate or approximation, not an exact value.

What are some alternatives to "as a rough calculation"?

Alternatives include "as an approximation", "as a general estimate", or "as a ballpark figure".

When is it appropriate to use "as a rough calculation"?

It's appropriate when you want to provide an approximate value or estimate, rather than a precise measurement or calculation.